Victor Davis Hanson: Bad taste and freedom

...Stunned, European diplomats have tried in vain to explain to Arab ambassadors that, in the West, governments neither own nor muzzle an often unwise and tasteless press. Hurt feelings and much worse are the price we are supposed to pay for free expression so central to consensual government. Hindus, Christians, Buddhists, Jews or Muslims in secular democracies simply don't burn foreign embassies when their faith is impugned in the free press.

Nor did the offended wish to hear that the intent of the cartoons... was to ridicule extremists who use religion to justify terrorism and the killing of civilians, rather than gratuitously to insult Islam.

...There is a great asymmetry in all this. Western notions of cultural tolerance and liberality are the benchmarks Muslims employ to condemn insensitive European journalism. Meanwhile, the Islamic Middle East is given a pass, as anti-Semitic state-run papers there daily portray Jews grotesquely.

...There is also an expectation that Westerners, purportedly soft and decadent, will apologize for the excesses of their culture, while Muslims abroad need not for the extremism of an Iranian president promising another genocide or Osama bin Laden's periodic vow to murder thousands more Americans.

... oil dependency, Middle Eastern petrodollar surpluses, jihadist terrorism and fear of nuclear weapons in the hands of terrorist-sponsoring regimes have, in varying ways, held too many in the West psychologically hostage.

But even more disturbing than such overt material constraints, the West is also increasingly unwilling to defend, or even to articulate, its own unique values, in fear of seeming hurtful and judgmental. In this latest incident, Europeans are expected to show remorse — not so much for their bad taste as for their very way of life.

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True. Still, I think all people who looks like disagree on paper about cartoons-gate: calling it clash of civilizations, or civilization v. barbarians, or saying that there is no clash, because one civilization did not show up for the clash -- with different rhetoric they all agree in substance: violent radical Islamism, or jihadism, or whatever its name, poses grand danger to our future. They try to exploit weakness, cowardice or ideological blindness of large part of the West to advance their cause. Those Muslims who don't act this way are not forceful enough with their response as they should have (some brave souls notwithstanding) for their and our survival.

And the bottom line is the West must get a clue. Because in this type of conflict our military superiority does not mean much. What matters is our will to defend our values.

"Westerners, purportedly soft and decadent..."

There is no doubt that much of the West is soft and decadent--viz. the Left (there is nothing liberal about these people). It dominates Europe.

The decadent Left also dominates much of America--viz. the Democrat Party, Hollywood, academia, and the Leftist enclaves, notably of the northeast and Pacific coasts.

The American Heartland, however--Bush Country--is healthy, vibrant, clear thinking, ascendant, the last great bastion of Western Civilization and the world's best hope.

Decadent Europe has rejected the leadership of the American Heartland and President Bush--the very things that could save it--in favor of suicidal decadence, denial, hubris, confusion, and delusion.

The decadent American Left has followed the example of Europe. John Kerry, the Democrat candidate for President in 2004, openly advocated following the European example.

The great question is whether circumstances will force Europe to awaken from its decadence, denial, delusion etc. in time to save itself, and whether the American Heartland will prevail over the decadent, delusional American Left.

Signs that the American Heartland will prevail are encouraging.

The future of Europe is less optimistic.

"And so now, in refusing to accept Muslim-imposed censorship, brave little countries like Demark and Holland are saying enough is enough — and waiting, perhaps in vain, for a word of support from America or Britain."

Yes. Well, America and Britain have rescued brave little coutries like Denmark and Holland--as well as the rest of Europe--from their suicidal foolishness a time or two before.

The graves of America's sons, scattered over Europe, are a testimony.

The last time America rescued Europe, her sons--most of them less than 21 years old--walked into Nazi machine gun fire, scaled the cliffs of Normandie, and died on the beaches to do so. America's sons still lie in the graves of Flanders fields etc.

Europeans did not learn from this experience. They have committed the same absurd mistakes of the past--have failed to learn--and have gotten themselves into another mess.

Furthermore, they rejected the guidance, advice, and leadership of the American Heartland--preferring instead the foolishness of the likes of Chirac, Villepin, and Shroeder--and ridiculed Americans for their caution and wise advice.

Americans are not likely to forget all this.

If brave little countries like Demark and Holland--and the rest of Europe as well--look to America and Britain for support--they had better give the American and British people some kind of assurance that they have learned something.

Americans are very reluctant to send their sons to die again because of European foolishness.

It is high time the American and British people said enough is enough.

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